Bourge Des Saintes harbor

Much as I loved Deshaies, everyone was talking about the Saintes. We headed south as soon as the weather permitted. It was a wonky sail south, pleasant at first but then getting slammed by the winds screaming down off of peaks and then the winds altogether wrapping around and coming from different directions. Tivoli passed us (damn newer boats that are much faster) but then came about and passed us again going the other way. I figured they realized the seas were too big to be towing their dinghy but it also happened that they caught the line off a fish trap on their prop (something we always dreaded but never came across in Maine). Soon enough we felt how lumpy the seas were. And so much for that forecast of gusting to 15 knots. It was blowing 20, gusting to 25 and luckily we had already reefed the main, brought in the jib and hoisted the staysail (loving the repair job) instead. We managed to make good time, but still arrived mid afternoon which meant all the moorings were taken and we had to anchor for the evening.

Iles Des Saintes. Think Nantucket small island charm dropped in the Caribbean and now throw in good French food and wine. It’s a cluster of islands with charming architecture, great hikes, and pretty beaches. What more could one want?

Anchoring turned out to not be so bad.  I got to watch the local fisherman seine for bait, then use the bait to catch bigger bait, and then use that bait to catch & club something the size of wahoo or barracuda…..right abeam of us during breakfast.  We were then able to move up to a mooring.  Better protection for the winds coming.

Baby goat

Torben & Judy showed up the day after we did and Eva & Jean-Luc arrived another two days later. Add on John, a friend of Tivoli who sailed solo (with companion Captain Jack the dog) from the BVI and we had built in friends all around us! Trip and I walked up to Fort Napoleon for a history lesson about the Saintes. We then joined the others for a hike up Le Chameau (The Camel), a rather steep but paved climb. Every hike on the island rewards you with spectacular views and I’ve taken to having my phone out for pics all the time.

With our new little ‘family’ in the harbor we did dinner on board again with lots of wine, a creamy chicken stew, sautéed zucchini from Eva & fabulous pineapple cake a la Judy (I’m loving the fact that we’ve met foodie cruisers).

Everyone abandoned us today for Point a Pitre, they have sail repairs and people to meet, but we’re hoping to see them again soon. And in the meantime I’m finally updating the blog. And we’re debating diving. On our hike up to Fort Napoleon we watched divers from a local shop march across the street, into the water from the beach and then climb on board the boat – all the time wearing their BCDs and tanks. Now that’s hard core. I’m not sure that’s what I had in mind, but Eva reassures us there’s another dive shop on the island where they do rendezvous diving – they pick you up at your boat.

Mooring Hunger Games (red boat waiting impatiently)

So we’re hanging out enjoying ourselves while the winds and the seas pick up over the next few days. It was a morning I referred to as Mooring Hunger Games as we watched boats either new to the islands or upping anchor (had to be a rolly night in the anchorage with all that fetch) motoring around looking for available moorings. As soon as you see someone raise a mainsail you race over and hover to claim their spot. That didn’t work so well for one boat (charter I think) who took an hour to raise their main and forced several boats to move on.